Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Park City, Montana 59063
Saturday, January 6, 1996 13:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that while flying approximately 100 feet above the ground, with higher terrain on both sides of the aircraft, he 'heard something strike the aircraft.' He stated that neither he nor his passenger 'had seen any obstacles that may have hit the plane.' The pilot stated that he then returned directly to Laurel, Montana, and landed without further incident. Post-flight inspection of the aircraft revealed an 8-inch-deep gash into the vertical stabilizer, from the leading edge straight back into the stabilizer, and a radio antenna on the top of the aircraft broken back at its base. The pilot stated the opinion in his accident report that 'by the nature of the damage...it was a wire strike that occurred,' and that he believed 'this accident was a result of failure on my part to maintain sufficient altitude.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Inadequate visual lookout by the pilot, and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from the transmission line.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PARK CITY
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59063
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1300 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 51
Weather Observation Facility ID BIL
Elevation of weather observation facility 3649
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 52
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 10 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N172NS
NTSB Number SEA96LA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 172-57968
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 18 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 4570
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHERN SKIES AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 936
Aircraft Owner City LAUREL
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59044
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 6S8
Departure City LAUREL
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --